


The Hunt

by GoddessofRoyalty



Series: DC Omegaverse [21]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: All omega bats, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Batfamily (DCU), F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, M/M, Mating Rituals, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:53:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23373469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessofRoyalty/pseuds/GoddessofRoyalty
Summary: Three things all the Bats realise when they wake up:1- They're in a Labyrinth2- They're suppressants have been removed and their heats kick-started3- Someone put them there for a Hunt
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Talia al Ghul/Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson
Series: DC Omegaverse [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1257950
Comments: 21
Kudos: 146
Collections: Batfamily AlphaBetaOmega Week





	1. Day 1 - Synchronized Heats

**Author's Note:**

> So I’m doing the thing again where I post a fic over three days of a week because it got too long. This time though it’s only like 5.5k in total instead of the usual 10k but that’s because I couldn’t decide what ending I wanted so left it open so I can just write the different endings at a later date. 
> 
> Warnings: Mating hunts, threatened non-con, threatened-underage, implied-past-incest (look Slade is… at his worst)
> 
> Didn't include the Batgirls because tied to one of the possible endings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character voice is a big part of this fic honestly. Probably a bigger part than it should be for a fic with the premise it is.

Bruce doesn’t normally wake up slow. Years of conditioning meaning that even at his most comfortable he wakes with a start to quickly examine his surroundings.

The fact that he woke up in a slow haze can only mean one thing: he’s been drugged.

That thought helps him to chase the last of the drug from his system.

Looking around his surroundings he establishes that he’s been placed in what is likely an underground maze – the sandstone walls reaching high but the cave ceiling even higher. There’s a stirring in his stomach that normally indicates a heat near and a glance down to this arm confirms that someone had surgically removed his suppressant-rod. They hadn’t changed him from the clothes he had been sleeping but the cavern was cool enough that his pyjamas kept him comfortable.

Someone clearly wanted him to go into heat here. In what is likely a labyrinth-like maze for him to either escape from or be captured and _bred_ by whoever set it up.

There are a few that might want to do something like that. The underworld always filled with rumours of higher ups holding mating hunts like what happened in ancient times – some substantial and others not. But Bruce isn’t a member of a gang nor an omega easily grabbed off the street or from his home. That along with the other context cues tells him who actually is behind this:

Ra’s Al Ghul.

That fact makes it more complicated but Ra’s always gives a chance to escape even if it isn’t a fair one. Bruce just has to find his way out of the labyrinth before his heat hits and Ra’s hunts him down.

Bruce stands and picks a direction to head based on where the airflow of the cavern seems to be originating from.

He doesn’t plan on making this as easy on Ra’s as he had Talia.

* * *

The last thing Dick remembers before waking up here was being on patrol. Which in itself raises three questions:

  1. How was he now in a cavern that seemed to be located somewhere warmer than Bludhaven streets in winter?
  2. How was he no longer in his Nightwing suit but rather a pair of trackpants and singlet that he knows came from his dresser back at his apartment?
  3. How had his suppressant rod been removed and his heat apparently kick-started enough to now feel a day off?



It’s clear what’s happening and Dick’s mind goes to Slade as the cause of it. Because of course Slade would get a level of sick perversion from hunting Dick down first – wanting to make a game of it before staking his claim.

Fine – if it’s a game Slade wants Dick will give him that and Dick will win.

* * *

When Jason finds the bastard that tranqued him he swears he’s going to shoot out both their kneecaps.

He hadn’t even been out as Red Hood damn it! Just Jason Todd going to the shops but also not because Jason Todd is technically dead. Not that Jason had much bothered making a fake-ID for every shop trip – there were some stores that didn’t question if you paid in cash where you got it.

And, sure, it’s clear going by the stone labyrinth and induced heat that said tranquor was working for someone else, probably Roman, but also possibly one of the other creepy fucks Jason’s pissed off. And, sure, you’re not supposed to shoot the messenger – but Jason was totally shooting this messenger.

He was going to find a way out of here before whatever sick game started with his heat, find the messenger, take out their kneecaps in a non-lethal way, then figure out what fuck was behind this and take out their kneecaps. And probably their knot as well just to teach them a lesson about drugging omegas for stupid archaic mating hunts.

* * *

Tim isn’t exactly super-surprised to wake up in a labyrinth with his suppressant-rod removed. How could he be considering the ninjas that showed up at his apartment clearly sent by Ra’s?

He doesn’t exactly know how they got from there to here seeing he had been knocked out by one of them despite being able to incapacitate five. At least he can take comfort that he’s in the same formal suit he was wearing having just come back from the office – although he clearly had been searched going by the fact the compact bo-staff he kept hidden in his suit is now missing. Ra’s clearly not wanting to make it too easy for him.

Tim has a feeling he will come to regret still being in his suit when his heat, that has apparently been triggered, does come on. Or as he tries to find his way out of the labyrinth generally considering the slight restrictions it puts on his movements.

There isn’t any option but to press on and find where the exit is. Because there will be one – Ra’s wanting Tim to have at least the possibility of winning even if it’s a near impossible one.

Tim had beaten Ra’s at his own game before – he would be able to do it again.

* * *

“What you’re doing is immoral not to mention barbarous,” Damian says. He’s not bound but he also isn’t stupid to try and escape from a room filled with some of the biggest names in villainy. Especially when the rest of his family are currently in the Al Ghul’s labyrinth and drugged into pre-heat.

“Damian you know our ways,” Talia says from where she sits behind him. And sure he does – the point of this is a test of an alpha to prove themselves worthy of siring an heir with the omega in question – a tradition older than human society. One he had been conceived as a result of. But the omega was supposed to go into the labyrinth knowingly if not entirely willingly. Not drugged up and expected to just figure it out – although he has full faith his brothers and father will.

This was a perversion of the tradition.

“Count yourself lucky,” Slade says with a lazy grin. “I voted we toss you in as well.”

“And that was vetoed,” Talia says, “as it wouldn’t be fair to have an omega of our blood making our possible reward one less.”

Damian doesn’t know if his mother expects him to be grateful for that. That they didn’t toss him in with his brothers and father like common sport. Instead of disgusted that his mother and grandfather would take part in this exercise.

“Blood wouldn’t stop me,” Slade says, “And didn’t you disown him? Does he really count anymore?”

“Enough,” Lex says and Damian still doesn’t know how he got involved in this – not like the Al Ghul family or Slade who have always had their interest in Damian’s father and brothers. “We decided to remove him from the game and it is too late to change the agreement everyone made.”

“I know,” Slade says, “Just saying the pup should be more grateful he isn’t down there with the rest of his family.”

Damian refuses to bite back at the ‘pup’ comment. It’s better he stay somewhat well-behaved or else they might consider it worthwhile to bound him. This way if an opportunity presents itself he will have a better chance of helping his family escape before the hunt even begins.


	2. Day 4 - Courting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I call this chapter ‘introducing characterisation I’ll end up ignoring for one of my endings’. 
> 
> Also the day I most stretched the meaning to fit - it's technically courting in that I've established this as an old courting ritual. But I know it's a really big stretch to fit.

Walking through the maze of stone Bruce tries to find something that he remembers from last time to orientate himself within it. Unfortunately with the years that have past and the vines that cover some of the walls having changed its hard to find something he remembers.

It doesn’t help that he had only really been half-trying last time. He hadn’t been searching for an exit, but rather leading Talia on a fun chase. Something he can’t help but scold himself for now – there had always been a possibility he would end up back in it because of Ra’s and need to escape instead.

He forces his breathing to remain even as he methodically explores the labyrinth. Exertion will only force his heat to come sooner and while it’s arrival is inevitable the more time he can have before it really takes hold the better chance he has of escaping.

He turns a corner only to see a figure in the distance. And while it is not unheard of for more than one omega to be placed in at a time it is rare. That doesn’t matter to Bruce as much as the fact he recognises the form.

“Jason?”

Jason turns and stares at Bruce like he’s confused why he’s there. He’s wearing actual clothes so he must have been grabbed while out as a civilian – Bruce grateful that he’s more protected than Bruce’s simple pyjamas.

“Shit – they put hallucinogenics in the tranque?” Jason asks, clearly to himself.

“It’s actually me,” Bruce says, walking over to his son.

“Why the fuck would Black Mask also want you?” Jason asks because that’s his apparent conclusion for how he ended up there.

“This isn’t Black Masks doing – it’s Ra’s.” Ra’s owns the labyrinth. Plus it’s more his style than Roman’s.

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve been here before.”

“Shit,” Jason says. “And let me guess - it’s why we have Damian?”

“Yes.” Bruce had never wanted to go into detail about Damian’s conception with any of his sons. And he still won’t past the absolutely necessary information.

“Fuck.”

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be done.” There’s a process and the chosen omega is supposed to be given warning to prepare themselves for the hunt.

“Yeah and who told you that?” Jason asks.

“Talia.”

Jason snorts.

“Yeah, well, we both know better than to trust her at her word.”

He’s right – Talia has manipulated and betrayed them both over the years. And while Bruce can respect that most of the time it was part of her game trying to survive and out-play her father he also knows how much it cost him and his son.

* * *

The vines on the side of the labyrinth are strong enough to hold Dick’s weight, meaning he can scale them and perch on the top of one of the taller of the inconsistently heighted walls.

He knows that the extra height won’t actually protect him from Slade when he decides to start the hunt, Slade able to climb more efficiently than his bulk and heavy armour would suggest. But Dick had hoped the higher vantage point would help him to figure out where the exit is. The labyrinth seems to go far in each direction unfortunately and the boundary of it identical sandstone walls that reach the roof – no obvious sign of a door on them.

The better vantage point does have some value – Dick can see the maze spread out beneath him. A map for him to learn to hopefully at least somewhat even the playing field with Slade who will already know it off by heart.

There’s movement in the maze and for a moment Dick thinks Slade has already decided to start his hunt before he realises who it is.

Dick jumps between the walls to climb over to where Tim is. His younger brother moving fast but sticking close to the wall.

“Tim!” Dick says as he climbs and jumps down from the top. He doesn’t know why Tim is here as well but he doesn’t like the implications of it – at least Tim is still in his business suit from earlier that day so he wasn’t changed by Slade.

“Dick?” Tim asks. “What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here Tim? I thought Slade wasn’t that interested in you?” A saving grace in a way. Dick knew Slade had his interest in Jason and Damian but Tim had somehow escaped it. One brother he didn’t have to worry about on that front.

“Slade? No this is Ra’s doing,” Tim says, “or at least I assumed it was.”

“It could be actually, I just assumed it was Slade because there’s been talk of him around Bludhaven a couple weeks back.” This sort of thing is in character for both Ra’s and Slade though. And they both have access to the resources needed to make something like this.

“You didn’t mention that in any of your reports,” Tim says, because they all read each other’s reports even if they all also tell each other not to. It’s how they show they do actually care.

“I didn’t think it was worth mentioning – they were only rumours and didn’t go anywhere.” Plus Dick didn’t want his family to know every time Slade was in town. They’d worry and prod and there are things about Dick’s relationship with Slade that he doesn’t want them to know about. “At least I thought they hadn’t gone anywhere until I woke up here – what about you, why Ra’s?”

“He’s the one most likely to do something like this,” Tim says with a shrug. “All the rest wouldn’t brother with the pageantry of it.”

* * *

Alright, so Bruce is stuck in this stupid place with Jason as well and it probably wasn’t Roman who grabbed Jason but rather an Al Ghul. That was fine. It didn’t exactly change much, just who Jason was going to have to hunt down afterwards.

“Alright, so if you’ve been here before how do we get out of here?” Jason asks, because it’s Bruce and Bruce has an annoying habit of always knowing the solution to any problem when it isn’t clearly murder. 

“I’m still working that out,” Bruce says which translates to he doesn’t know. Which is just great – right when Jason wants Bruce to be his annoying know-it-all self he doesn’t know.

“Great, well, I guess I’ll see you once one of us figure out where the exit is.” There’s no point them staying together if Bruce doesn’t know where the exit is – better to split up and cover more ground.

“We should stick together,” Bruce says, because of course he has to be contrary. “It’s safer that way.”

“We’ll be safer once we get the hell out of here.”

“This place is designed to disorientate – even if one of us did find the exit and come back for the other there’s no promise we’ll be able to find each other again, or the exit again once we have.”

He’s right. Because he’s Bruce and of course he is. And Jason knows that he wouldn’t be able to just leave if he knew Bruce, or anyone really, was still stuck in this place. He would go back for them even if he knew it might cost him his own escape.

“Alright fine.”

Jason wants to get out of there more than he wants to spite Bruce.

* * *

“I guess it doesn’t make sense for it to be either Ra’s or Slade if we’re both here,” Tim says. He can’t really think of who else though – who would be interested in both him and Dick and have access to the resources and inclination to pull something like this.

“Ra’s would still make sense,” Dick says, “but I’m not ready to completely rule out Slade either.”

“Why would Ra’s still make sense – I thought he didn’t care that much about you?” Tim could get if it was Bruce or Jason, but as far as he was aware Dick was a blind spot of Ra’s radar – not ignored, per-say, but disregarded for the most part.

The smile Dick gives him is bitter and Tim has learned that it never means something good.

“No, no he’s been interested in me as well,” Dick says, “especially after Bruce was lost in time. That was before he contacted you about finding Bruce.”

“You never said.” Tim knew about Slade’s obsession with Dick. He’s fairly certain that everyone in the superhero community is aware of it – Deathstroke making it very clear that he had his eyes on Nightwing. But Ra’s could be more quiet in his interests.

“There was more important things going on,” Dick says with a shrug. “We don’t have time for this now either – we need to figure out how to get out before whoever, Slade or Ra’s, decide the track us down.”

Tim always thought he was able to supress his stress and trauma well. You had to be to be a Bat after all and he had had his share of it in his life. But there are moments where he remembers that Dick had been doing it for longer and hide it under a reassuring smile so different to Bruce’s grimace.

“How do we want to do this – I was just going to stick to a wall and hope it leads to the exit before…” his heat starts or whoever it is who is holding them here gets impatient and decides to really start their game, “well… first.”

“I might climb back on top of the walls and see if I can find any clues about what direction is best,” Dick says. And Tim doesn’t question that Dick will still be keeping an eye on Tim as well.

“Alright, just be careful.” The sticked-up-incision on Dick’s bicep is all the evidence Tim needs to know that he’s likely been sent into pre-heat as well. Tim doesn’t know how long he has before scaling the walls of the labyrinth becomes too dangerous, but he does know Dick will likely push himself past that point.

“You too,” Dick says before working of climbing back up the walls again.

* * *

“Mother,” Damian says as the other three alphas in the room get distracted by talking to their goons – hopefully because someone has noticed his family’s absence and are starting to come looking. “You know this is wrong.”

“I know,” Talia says simply, because for all Damian’s father and brothers like to think her as bad as his grandfather Damian knows his mother does know right from wrong. She just is more willing to do wrong to achieve right. “There wasn’t any stopping them though.”

“Tt, so you decided to just go along with it?” At the least his mother could have warned them of the plans. Maybe then they would have been more alert and not so easily grabbed.

“For now,” Talia says, “but the old rules still apply and whoever can find them first gets the rights to them even if they don’t act on them.”

“So you plan on finding them all first?”

“Yes.”

“How?” Even without Luthor playing there’s still Ra’s and Slade to compete with, both more than competent at tracking down those they want. Without somehow informing Damian’s brothers and father to help them there’s little chance of success.

“I have worked with both your grandfather and Deathstroke for many years, I know how they plan and operate,” Talia says, “they both have their favourites as well – Wilson will have little interested in Timothy and my father little interest in Grayson.”

There’s a sword that Damian’s noticed in Grayson’s room that he recognises from his grandfather’s weaponry that makes him question the truth of the statement about Ra’s having little interest in his eldest brother. And while he has no evidence to suggest Wilson has much interest in Drake he also knows he isn’t as close to Drake to fully know for certain.

They need to get a message into the labyrinth to inform his family about the plan.

“It’ll be alright Damian,” Talia says, her hand running through his hair like she did when he was younger. “Your father and brothers may be naïve but they are capable. They will be able to buy me enough time to get to them all.”

Maybe. But Damian’s also never been one to just sit on the sidelines and let others do the work – and if they can tell his family about the plan somehow than they’ll have an even better chance of being able to succeed before Ra’s or Slade find any of his family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah cliffhanger ending. Like I said I can’t choose which ending I like better so I’m just going to do them all.

“Hn.”

The heat is curling stronger in Bruce’s core and slick starting to leak into his briefs. He’s done everything he could to try and keep it at bay but he never was one to have long pre-heats.

“We’re running out of time,” Jason says, going to lean against the wall of the labyrinth. His breathing has picked up as well despite the fact they’ve taken an easy pace. He’s also stripped off his jacket a couple of turns back and Bruce knows the temperature of the labyrinth itself hasn’t changed but he feels warmer as well. “Are you sure you don’t know where the exit of this place is?”

“I’m sure.” None of it looks familiar to the point where Bruce wonders if there is more than one – rotated between to prevent anyone from learning the layouts. “But we will keep going.”

“How much longer do you think you can seriously do that?” Jason asks. Bruce can’t even be angry about the bluntness of it – a trait shared by everyone in the family.

“I’ll be fine.” Bruce has powered through worse. Had even gotten nearly two full days into his actual heat before Talia caught up with him last time.

“For how long though?” Jason asks, again.

“Long enough.” Bruce has no want to argue this point – he can’t afford to be stopped by his heat until they get out of here and are safe, so he won’t be. Especially not when it’s Jason in danger as well as him.

“Just trying to be realistic here,” Jason says under his breathe but Bruce still catches it.

* * *

Tim sheds his jacket and leans against the wall he’s been following and Dick is climbing down to his side as fast as he can.

“I’m fine,” Tim says before Dick even has a chance to open his mouth. “Just getting warm.”

“It’s not called heat for no reason,” Dick jokes, but he also reaches out to press his hand on Tim’s forehead. Confirming that Tim’s temperature has started to spike. It won’t be much longer until he’s in full heat. Not that Dick thinks he has much longer himself either.

“No kidding,” Tim says with a small smile before pushing off the wall to stand straight again, “thankfully I didn’t skimp on my work clothes and got proper cotton.”

He’s deflecting – Tim so much like Dick in his use of humour to lighten uncomfortable situations.

“We can rest for a bit longer,” Dick says.

“No we really can’t.”

“How long?” How long until Tim is really in his full heat?

“Maybe an hour, two at most,” Tim says, “What about you?”

“Half a day at most.” Dick’s heat timelines tended to more respond to his situation. His body knows it isn’t safe so is trying to buy him as much time to return to one of his packs and a nest.

He probably isn’t going to make it in time though.

“Lucky,” Tim says bitterly. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Dick isn’t going to hold it against Tim – he gets it. This is a shit situation and shit situations tend to make people say things they normally wouldn’t.

“We should keep going,” Tim says before swaying. Dick lunging to catch him but Tim does right himself.

Still – he isn’t in much state to really keep walking.

“Tim-“

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.” And pretending otherwise isn’t going to do them any good. “Here, I’ll carry you.”

“You’re not going to be able to do that for long,” Tim says.

“But I can for a little.”

“Alright,” Tim says, “But don’t push yourself too far.”

“I won’t,” Dick says but they both know that it’s a lie.

* * *

“Alright, that’s it – you’re clearly in heat,” Jason says as Bruce stops, again, to ground himself. Probably to try and supress the feeling of it to keep powering on like a good Bat should.

And, look, Jason gets it. He’s feeling it to - the need to just keep pushing on despite the drag on his body the ever-looming heat is causing. A part of it is instinctual, they know this isn’t a safe place to have a heat – no nest and a feeling of a threat looming – they have to keep going until they can ensure the safety of themselves and the pack-member with them. A part of it is training though, they all know how to push though their bodies demands to stop.

Still Jason doesn’t know how much longer his body is going to let him keep going. And Bruce is clearly in worse shape than he is.

“I never denied that,” Bruce says, contrary to the end, “I’m fine though – we can’t afford to stop.”

“We can’t afford you collapsing either.” Jason doesn’t know if it’s something in whatever concoction they were given to kick-start their heats or just the result of suppressing them for so long and not remembering how draining they felt, but his body feels so low on energy. The heat dragging it out of him and making each step feel like so much more effort.

“I’ll be fine,” Bruce says even more forcefully.

“You won’t.” Neither of them will be – the window of getting the hell out of here is rapidly closing and fighting will probably be off the table as well. And damn the Al Ghuls all to hell for even thinking of such a stupid method of it – archaic tradition abandoned for the very good reasons of being dumb as hell.

“Jason-“ Bruce starts and Jason doesn’t want to hear whatever it is he’s going to say.

“It’s fine – it’s not like either of us are new to their brand of bullshit.” Both Bruce and Jason trained under the Al Ghuls. Actually trained, not just threw a temper-tantrum vacation like Tim did while Bruce was lost in time.

They both know what Talia’s affection is like. And they both know exactly how much protection that really provides from her father.

“You could always leave me,” Bruce says. And it’s true.

But Jason knows he couldn’t. And he knows he wouldn’t last much longer himself either before his heat starts to really cloud his judgement.

“Nah,” Jason says, standing up again. “Fuck ‘em. If they want to hunt us down individually they can be disappointed that we stuck together.”

* * *

Tim nuzzles idly into Dick’s neck as he’s carried. It’s comforting in a way he usually doesn’t admit even to himself.

Sure with his own heat looming Dick’s scent isn’t as familiar as it normally is to Tim but the undercurrent is still there. A scent that meant safety and comfort for Tim for so many years. There had been so many times after stressful mission or fight with Bruce where he had ended up curled in Dick’s nest safe in the knowledge that whatever it was he was avoiding couldn’t get him there.

It had been years since he last did that.

Tim supposes that was a part of growing up – no longer needing the comfort of your pack-parent’s scents.

“You okay Tim?” Dick asks.

“Yeah.”

“You sure – you’ve been scenting me for longer than Damian did after I came back from being undercover with Spyral.”

“Sorry, I’ll stop.” Tim hadn’t noticed how long he had been doing it for. Too lost in thought.

“It’s fine,” Dick says, “just been a while since you last scented me properly.”

“Has it?” Possibly, but it’s not like Tim had been counting the time.

Dick just hums. Tim feels the vibration of it against his face where he has it resting against his brother’s neck. When he settles he finds himself even more aware of how different Dick’s scent is to the one it is in Tim’s memory – heat settling in more and more into it.

“We’re not getting out of here,” Tim says, because it’s true. They’ve run out of time.

“We will eventually, we just might have to go through Slade or Ra’s instead of around them,” Dick says and Tim doesn’t know if Dick means they’ll fight and beat them or just endure.

He doesn’t think he wants to know what Dick means either – doesn’t want to know if Dick’s given up hope as well.

* * *

“Little Robin, so worried about his family,” Slade says, and Damian knew it wasn’t a good idea to stay in the room alone with him. But he also wasn’t about to be the coward who purposely left the room to avoid Deathstroke. “I remember a time where you wouldn’t of cared about any of them bar your father.”

“I matured.” Damian loves his mother but he knows one of her faults was encouraging him to think himself better than his brothers just by the nature of his birthright.

“That you have,” Slade say, the innuendo clear. But what did Damian really expect from him considering his track record?

“You’re disgusting.” He doesn’t know how his eldest brothers can ever work with the man. No matter how desperate he is he would never sink to Deathstroke’s level.

“At least I’m honest about it,” Slade says with a shrug. “And if we’re being honest let me say I know about you and your mother’s plot and the fact you’re thinking up one of your own.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Damian and his mother hadn’t talked about the plan past the one time while Slade and the others were out of the room. And considering this was Al Ghul property if anyone had the place bugged it would be his mother or grandfather. Damian’s own thoughts about how he was going send the message to his family about the plan were his own and hadn’t been shared with anyone.

“It’s clear Grayson trained you – you act like him when you’re trying to be subtle,” Slade says, “he trained you well but I know his tells.”

“You’re bluffing,” Damian scoffs.

“You can think that if you want, but I also could help you get into the labyrinth in order to go tell your father and brothers about your mother’s plan to get them all out,” Slade says, so casually because he knows he’s got the upper hand.

“Why would you help me?” Slade has every reason not to want Talia to succeed at claiming the four omegas in the maze considering it would mark her total victory in this game.

“Easy – once you step foot in there you’re part of the game as well and can be claimed,” Slade says.

Damian hadn’t thought about it but Wilson’s right. He would also be an omega in the labyrinth and therefore part of the hunt. The fact he won't be in heat not enough of a technically to remove him. And while he knows his mother would never touch him like that he’s as sure Slade would take the opportunity. He would hope his grandfather wouldn’t but there is a doubt he can’t completely shake from his mind. And Luthor’s true intentions towards the whole thing still remain unknown to him.

“I can go home with a total sweep,” Slade continues, apparently unaware but more likely uncaring about Damian’s thoughts. “And it makes the hunt more interesting – giving the prey a better fighting chance.”

* * *

Bruce finds it nearly impossible to focus on anything. All he feels is fuzz and ache and need.

Jason is basically dragging him along now and Bruce is grateful that his son is doing that because he doesn’t know if he could bring himself to keep walking otherwise. But he doesn’t know how much longer Jason will last either – his heat clearly really kicking in going by his scent.

“Shit,” Jason says, and Bruce figures it means he can’t bring himself to keep walking either. That they’ll have to stop here and just wait until Ra’s finds them. “Dick?”

Bruce finds himself gaining more clarity than he has for nearly an hour at the word – and looking down the hallway he sees his eldest son, Tim on his back. And no. No it was bad enough that Jason was here as well.

“Jason?” Dick says, clearly just as surprised to see them as they are him, “Bruce?”

“Fuck,” Jason says, managing to capture the situation surprisingly well. “How’d they manage to grab all of us?”

“They must have been planning this for a while,” Dick says, gently letting Tim down from his back – the youngest of them leaning against Dick for support in much the same way Bruce had been leaning against Jason.

“Is Tim alright?” Bruce asks. His mouth feels dry around the words but he has to be sure. Who knows what else was put in the drugs to get them here and in heat.

“Yeah, he’s just tired,” Dick says, resting his hand against Tim’s forehead to check his brother’s temperature. 

“You look tired as well Dickie,” Jason says. “How long?”

“I think really for a couple of minutes now,” Dick says. So that leaves Jason the only one not in full-heat, and even that Bruce isn’t entirely sure about. They’ve all learned well how to hide when things aren’t right for them and push though.

“Right, well, maybe between all of us we might be able to figure out how the hell to get out of this situation with whatever cognition we have left,” Jason says. And maybe, but it’s a big maybe Bruce knows. Certainly not one he would normally bank on and if it was just himself he wouldn’t.

But it’s not just himself, it’s his boys as well, and damn it he’s not letting them suffer as well.

* * *

The alphas have left.

The hunt has begun.

They’ve left Damian in the room alone to wait until they come back with their claims of his father and brothers.

He’s not going to.

Slade had told him how to get into the labyrinth and as much as Damian is loathe to rely on his help, especially considering the reason he gave it, he can’t just ignore the chance of helping his family.

If he can go in and get the message to them that they need to work with Talia to meet up instead of running from her like the will the others then the chance of the plan working becomes so much greater.

It’s a risk. He knows. If Slade finds him first than he’ll be just another claim in the hunt.

But he can’t just leave his family and not do everything in his power to try and help them. So he follows Slade’s instructions and finds the secondary entrance to the labyrinth, his feet thudding softly as he hits the ground.

The labyrinth is huge, which he knew, but he had never seen it before. A massive space his family is somewhere in. But the size of it meant it would be harder for the alphas as well.

All Damian had to do is find his father and brothers first.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr is GoddessofRoyalty


End file.
